JEA names McCallum’s Alice Scott national Journalist of the Year

Senior Alice Scott of McCallum High School represented the Lone Star State at the Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. On Sunday, April 6, she was named the 2024 national Journalist of the Year (JOY).

“Alice Scott is one of the best natural writers I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. Her voice is present in everything she writes,” NSPA Past President Jeanne Acton said. “She is a passionate leader who not only is amazing in all parts of journalism – she can teach it, too. Frankly, I am in awe of her talent and her heart. I hope to be as driven, talented and compassionate as she is when I grow up.”

Board members of the Texas Association of Journalism Educators surprised Scott in a Feb. 29 ceremony at her school and told her she had won the Texas JOY title, which comes with a plaque and a $1,500 scholarship. Judges named her portfolio the best from the applications received this year from around the state.

As part a weeklong awareness campaign, Shield co-editor-in-chief Alice Scott presents to Jennifer Richter’s AP U.S. History class about student press censorship and the New Voices movement.

“In a world where great, real journalism is struggling to be heard over ‘fake news’ and general misinformation, you are a leader,” one judge wrote in her comments back to Scott. “Please keep doing what you are doing – powerful and truthful storytelling, which makes people think and react. I’m so excited to see what you are going to do in your bright future.”

The judging panel, which included both former and current journalism educators, analyzed applicants based on a rubric established by JEA that focuses on 11 categories, including leadership, writing, reporting and visual communication skills. Judges said Scott excelled in all areas throughout her seven-year student journalism experience.

“From the first word of the lead, Alice’s stories capture the reader’s attention,” another judge said. “She is more than a writer. She is a storyteller.”

McCallum HS Adviser Dave Winter and TAJE Director Cindy Todd surprise Shield co-editor-in-chief Alice Scott at McCallum High School with the news of being named 2024 Texas Journalist of the Year.

Scott will be recognized April 21 at the ILPC Spring Convention along with Maya Ortiz, Kingwood Park High School, first runner-up; Ben Adams, St. Mark’s School of Texas, second runner-up; Riley Pate, Klein Oak High School, third runner-up; and Jackson Vaerewyck, Frisco High School, fourth runner-up.

TAJE, based in Buda, Texas, near Austin, serves more than 275 members and works closely with JEA to provide scholastic journalism teachers and their students with the best resources and opportunities to use in telling the stories of their high schools via publications and broadcasts around the state and the nation. This year JEA will be celebrating its 100th anniversary.

For more information, email State Director Lisa Roskens, statedirector@taje.org; President Kari Riemer, president@taje.org; past president and Interscholastic League Press Association Director Alyssa Boehringer, aboehringer@uiltexas.org; or Executive Director Cindy Todd, director@taje.org.

To read the full story on JEA’s website, click here.

Watch below as Scott is announced national Journalist of the Year at the Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, on Sunday, April 6.